Saute onion, garlic and Salmon in Evoo until just heated through. Take out of pan and set aside and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Add more EVOO to pan and saute Spinach with spices until wilted. Add 1 T butter and melt, add Salmon mixture to spinach and Squeeze on whole lemon on and cook on very low heat.

Cook pasta till Al Dente. Drain and melt in 1 T butter and mix with Salmon and Spinach mixture and add last remaining lemon juice. Serve in bowls and top with as much Parmesan Cheese as you would like!

If you like potatoes in your veggie soup, peel and dice t medium potatoes and add when you add the broth.

Saute all ingredients except tomatoes and broth in EVOO until tender, 10 minutes or so. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes more. Add in broth and bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to a simmer and simmer for 3 to 4 hours or until veggies are tender enough for you. I usually out this on around lunch time and cook it till dinner time. I serve with crusty bread or crackers. You can also make this in the crock pot and have it cooking on low all day while you are at work. Enjoy!

Drain the cans of salmon well. Mix all ingredients together. Heat EVOO in non-stick skillet (enough to cover pan but not cakes). Form patties in your hand and firmly press together. Size is up to you. Crisp on each side about 3-4 minutes or until brown. Drain on paper towels and enjoy.

I like to take lemon wedges and squeeze over them right before I take them out of the skillet!!!

In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 t butter and canola oil till butter bubbles. At this point, if you are using peppers and onion, saute them now.Dice potatoes into bite size pieces and place in oilCover with a lid and let cook for about 15 minutes, stirring once at halftime.If your potatoes are breaking apart, that means you are doing it correctly. They sweet potatoes will break first. You want this to happen, it makes it have a creamy kind of texture. If you potatoes are not starting to break up, cook about 5 or 6 minutes more. Take lid off and let potatoes start to crisp up. 10 minutes or so...Add 2 t of butter (optional)Add ketchup, mustard and worcestershire sauce. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes to heat ingredients through! This is my version of sweet potato hash! I hope you enjoy!!

Pour your jar of salsa in a sauce pan and chunk up cream cheese and add to pan. Melt together. When cream cheese is just about melted, add shredded chicken. Mix until heated through. Place sour cream on 1 shell and scoop some chicken onto shell. Add shredded cheese, roll up and enjoy. You could also go a step further and place rolled shells in to a casserole dish and add your favorite enchilada sauce, sprinkle with cheese and bake till heated through and cheese is melted! I hope you enjoy this one. I served it with homemade baked beans and tortilla chips!!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

4 Bone-in Skin-on chicken breast (you can use boneless, skinless if you would like, I have not tried it that way. Let me know if you do)1/2 cup orange marmalade4 T honeysalt/pepper/garlic powderEVOO

Preheat oven to 3752 turns of EVOO around a nonstick skillet, turn heat to med/hi.Pat chicken dry with paper towels (helps reduce popping in skillet and helps skin get crisper).Sprinkle Chicken with salt/pepper/garlic powder and place skin side down in hot skillet.Cook for about 8-10 min.Meanwhile,in a sauce pan, combine the marmalade and honey and pepper. bring to a simmer until marmalade is dissolved.Baste chicken once with 1/3 marmalade, then flip chicken and baste other half and let cook for about 5 min.Make sure you are using an oven safe skillet or transfer chicken to baking dish that has been pre-heated in oven.Place chicken in oven and cook for 15 minutes, pull out and baste with rest of marmalade.Cook an additional 10-15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.Let chicken cool slightly and bone should be easy to pull out or cut off. Slice chicken on a diagonal and serve with your favorite side. Enjoy!

Monday, August 24, 2009

Wash and slice tomatoes to about 1/4 in. thick. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and place tomatoes in rows on pan. Drizzle tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt/pepper and garlic powder. Place in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 min, 20 minutes for green tomatoes. Take out and sprinkle with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Place under broiler for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly! If you cut the slices thinner, you can place a pepperoni or any pizza topping on it. It is awesome!! I hope you enjoy and let me know if you try this recipe!

saute onions in EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) for about 5 minutes or until they become translucent.

add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil for 15 minutes.place heat on simmer and take a potato smasher and smash some of the tomatoes, all if you dont like it as chunky.

Next, add cream cheese in chunks to sauce until stir until melted! I tend to leave a few pieces of cream cheese whole, adds a little texture to the dish.

Once the cream cheese has melted, turn off heat and add your sour cream, drain your noodles and add to sauce. Mix together well and place in a pre-sprayed baking dish (casserole) and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

If you prefer you sauce with veggies in it, feel free to add peppers, mushrooms, or carrots to mixture. Saute them when you saute your onions.

I hope you try this dish, I got it from my mother-in-law and changed it a little... Let me know if you try this one! Its a family favorite in my house!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Today the kids wanted pizza. So, instead of ordering them one, which by the way, we in live so far out that we don't get delivery, or buying a frozen one that is packed with sodium and hidden additives and preservatives, I decided to make one homemade! I forgot to take a picture, I am still so new at this.... Here we go:

place to soft tortilla shell on a pizza pan and place in a 425 degree oven for 5 minutes

take out pan and flip tortilla. If you are using a pan that has small holes in the pan, your crust will be crispier on the bottom.

top this pizza with all the ingredients. You can also add or take ones away that you like. I made myself on and used less cheese and added fresh diced baby portebello mushrooms and fresh from the garden diced yellow tomato. Both pizzas were devoured. I hope you will use this one! Let me know if you do!

Add all ingredients to a sauce pan and cook about 20 minutes. Then take a potato smasher and smash the tomatoes until they are broken down but not completely smashed. If you want you pizza sauce thicker, use 1/2 small can of tomato paste instead of the tomato sauce.

Today, out of a whim, I decided to start a blog. This blog will be of all the recipes that I make for my family and get togethers. I have no professional experience in cooking, I just come from a family who loves to cook, and eat!! My mamaw has been my biggest inspiration to this chapter in my life. She not only loves to cook, but she is really good at it. She had her own restaurant. She cooks for the day care at her church and also for all the get togethers at the church. Some day I would love to run a diner. But, it will take baby steps. I also dedicate this blog to my granny who passed 4 years ago. I miss her dearly. She would be so proud, I know.

To tell you a little about myself, I am 26 years old, married over 6 years to a wonderful man, Eric. We have 2 children, Emma 4 and Dillon 2. There is not much to tell about me...I come from a very loving family, 2 sisters, Leslie and Missy, Parents Bob and Carol. I am the youngest and though they say I am spoiled, I don't believe it! My parents raised us in a Godly home. We went to church just about every time the doors were open. My mom, who i am very proud of, is now the Associate Pastor of her church. My father, stands proudly, not behind her, but beside her. They work hand in hand and she would not be at the place that she is a not, if he was not there holding her up and supporting her. My father, who has been with IBM more that 30 years, is a strong man, he is a very important person in my life. I love my parents dearly. My sisters have done well for themselves. One does hair and nails, and the other works for an attorney. Both are bettering themselves by going back to college. I wish them the best luck ever! The are the mothers to my niece and nephew, Kinsley and Jacob. Both, I love dearly, more than I express to them, they will never know.

The whole point of the blog page is for me to get out there the passion that I have for food. Not just eating it, But I love to cook it. Hate the clean up but who doesn't. I love watching Paula Deen, Rachel Ray, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, Sandra Lee's Money saving meals, and Ina Gartin. If my TV could stay on food network 24/7, it would be, but as I mentioned before, I have 2 small children. So thankful for DVR, I can record my shows and watch them later!

Thank you God for giving me this passion! Help me along my journey. Guide my footsteps. Teach me in ways I can understand. Thank you for blessing me and my family. Touch the readers that I may have. In your name, AMEN!!!

Hope everyone enjoys and if you have any suggestions, please let me know!

About Me

I am a 28 year old wife and mother of 2. I have been married to my handsome, charming(!), loving, and supportive husband for nearly 10 years! We have 2 beautiful children together! Emma is almost 8 and Dillon is almost 6. I am a stay at home mom! My priority in life is to serve God and my family! I am inspired to cook by my grandmothers! Granny passed away a few years ago but I can still taste her homemade veggie soup! Mamaw is still alive and well! Her cooking skills are beyond excellent! My mother enjoys cooking when she has time! I have learned alot from her as well!! I currently do a little catering out of my home! My husband and I cook for 60-80 people once a month at our church (Destiny Church). It is for the new members, their families and the board with their families!
As you can tell, I love making people happy with my food!
I also dabble in coupong!
I love to sew and make crafts!
On this blog you will find anything from cooking to sewing to frugal tips.
Hope you enjoy and dont forget to SUBSCRIBE!